【オノコロ島神話経由で北から現代・関空へ】

　本日わたしは大阪・堺におります。本日所用があって京都に行った後、新幹線経由で名古屋でカミさんと合流し、あしたからは中部地方を夫婦旅予定。帰りは中部国際から帰還予定。で、今回の道行き利用空港は「関空」。
　最近は空路座席指定では「窓際」一択。いまから５−６年前くらいからそれまで通路側一択だったものが、大きく気持ちが変わってしまった。どうしてなのかというと「上空から、来し方行く末を見晴らす」みたいな願望が盛り上がってきたからなのでしょうか。よくわかりません。たしかに雲と海と地上のパノラマを見続けるのが、忘我の瞬間になってきた。不思議な感覚。
　北海道は今回濃密な雨雲の中からの出発だったのですが、ふと眠りから覚めて気付くと「現在は能登半島上空」というアナウンス。で、その通りの富山市上空のような光景が広がり、やがて金沢市上空・・・というように視界が展開して行った。目覚めて直後なので、かねてから関空への空路のアプローチ方法を確認の願望を持っていたので、そこからはそれぞれの地域の地上での風景記憶と対照させながら、航路を目視確認し続けていました。
　で、写真いちばん上、もうすぐ5分くらいで関空着陸という時間に見られた光景。
　淡路島は好きで、あちこち記憶がありますが、そのなかで都市部から遠隔でまだ行けていない「オノコロ島」とおぼしき位置関係の島を確認できた。直前には淡路島と徳島の連絡橋、鳴門の渦潮の「鳴門大橋」が確認できていたので、ほぼ間違いないと確信を持った。


　この島はその存在自体が「国生み神話」そのものでイザナギ・イザナミが矛で海をかき回して陸地をつくった創世神話のとき、その矛から落ちたしずくが固まって最初にできたとされる島。その後淡路が生成されていった。この島の名を冠した神社が、なぜか淡路島の陸地の真ん中の高速道路沿線にあって、四国旅大好き夫婦は参拝した経験もあります。たしかブログでも記述。
　そのオノコロ島、上空からの目視初体験（笑）。
　たしか大八洲を生成したという神話では北海道は語られていませんので、現代の北海道人として、それもイザナギ・イザナミの視線に立って、この島を見下ろすことに快感を覚えた（笑）。
　関空への進入経路をつぶさに確認できたのは今回が初経験。って、誰でも至極当たり前の航路体験で、なにがウレシイのか知らないけれど、長生きはウレシイと勝手に感激（笑）。

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【From Onokoro Island Mythology to Modern Kansai Airport via the North】
In the creation myth, Onokoro Island was the starting point for creating the Eight Great Islands. Though Hokkaido's status remains unclear... From Izanagi and Izanami's perspective, gazing down upon this island below must have been the ultimate thrill (lol). ...

　Today I'm in Sakai, Osaka. After running errands in Kyoto today, I'll take the Shinkansen to meet my wife in Nagoya. Starting tomorrow, we're planning a couple's trip through the Chubu region. We'll return via Chubu Centrair International Airport. So, the airport for this trip is Kansai International Airport.
Lately, when selecting seats for flights, I only choose window seats. About five or six years ago, I used to only pick aisle seats, but my preference has shifted dramatically. Why? Perhaps it's because I've developed this desire to “survey the path I've traveled and the road ahead from above.” I'm not entirely sure. But it's true that gazing continuously at the panorama of clouds, sea, and land has become a moment of pure immersion. It's a strange sensation.
Departing Hokkaido this time was amidst dense rain clouds, but I suddenly woke from sleep to hear the announcement: “We are currently flying over the Noto Peninsula.” And just as described, the view spread out below us, resembling the skies over Toyama City, then gradually shifted to the skies over Kanazawa City... and so on. Since I'd just woken up, I'd long wanted to confirm the approach method for Kansai Airport. From there, I kept visually tracking the flight path, comparing it with my memories of the landscapes on the ground in each region.
And then, the view captured in the top photo, seen about five minutes before landing at Kansai Airport.
　I love Awaji Island and have memories of various places there. Among them, I confirmed the position of an island that seemed to be the remote “Onokoro Island” I hadn't yet visited, located far from the urban areas. Just before that, I had confirmed the Naruto Bridge connecting Awaji Island and Tokushima, along with the Naruto whirlpools, so I was almost certain it was correct.

　This island itself is the very embodiment of the “creation myth.” In the creation myth where Izanagi and Izanami stirred the sea with a spear to form land, it is said to be the first island formed when droplets fell from that spear and solidified. Awaji was then formed afterward. A shrine bearing this island's name is, for some reason, located along the highway right in the middle of Awaji Island's landmass. The Shikoku-loving couple has actually visited it. I believe I mentioned it in my blog too.
My first aerial sighting of that Onokoro Island (laugh).
Since the myth of creating the Great Eight Islands doesn't mention Hokkaido, as a modern Hokkaido resident, I felt a thrill looking down on this island from the perspective of Izanagi and Izanami (laugh).
　This was my first time clearly seeing the approach route to Kansai Airport. I know it's an utterly ordinary flight path experience for anyone, and I don't know what's so exciting about it, but I'm just arbitrarily thrilled that living long is a joy (lol).

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【短文文化の基礎「ひらかな」の創始／五七調日本語の旅-10】

　明治の日本語革命によって散文表現主体で汎社会的に文化制圧されて以降の近現代社会で教育を受け、日本語を学び使い続けてきた戦後世代人として、今回の松尾芭蕉さんへの「奥の細道」の時代差・随伴走によって、いろいろ気付かされています。
　なにより花鳥風月的な日本人的「心象」の表現、その吟味作業は短文文化が日本歴史を通じてながく担ってきたのだという気付きがもっとも大きい。島国国土で四季変化がきわめて明瞭な、地球環境でも特異な条件下では、花鳥風月という精神文化性はコア部分で「わかりあい」やすい。花鳥風月の自然環境表現には、おなじ列島社会を共有する人間同士の深いコミュニケーションがあるのだと知れるのですね。北海道人は列島社会でいちばん遅れて独特の新・花鳥風月を生きているけれど、根っこの精神性は深く同期している。
　そういったコミュニケーションでは、やはり「打てば響く」ようなやり取りが基本。
　そのツールとして五七調はまことに適切この上ない。芭蕉さんは、句の着想を得てから内面でそれを咀嚼しながら、この花鳥風月の日本人共有知と照らし合わせながら、象徴性とか、簡潔性にこころを研ぎ澄ませていく。そういうなかから、「ここは「を」ではなく「は」にしよう」みたいな推敲に推敲を重ねて行ったことが伝わってくる。いくつか残されている「原案」と最終形との間の「苦吟」ぶりは、非常に興味深い。そしてその選択過程ははるかな後時代人である愚人にも、明白でわかりやすい。うーむと深い同意。
　で、こうした心象表現においては日本語が音節において２音節と３音節で基本構成されていることが、もっとも重要な要因であると気付く。古く、大和コトバというツールがあったなかに漢字文化の導入という巨大な革命があった。八百万〜やおよろず〜分散型社会から共通的な社会を構成するに際し、中国大陸から律令制度を導入し、さらに文化規範としても神道という基盤の上に仏教導入という大革命を行った。
　その「漢字」導入に際して、すぐにも「万葉かな」が必須の翻訳・導入ツールとして開発され、それが飛鳥から平安初期という時間を掛けて「ひらかな」にまで進化発展した。
　安　→　あ
　以　→　い
　宇　→　う
　衣　→　え
　於　→　お
　このひらかな開発では、列島社会の精神性「柔軟に受容し、果断にシンプル化する」が遺憾なく発揮された。
　そうなのだ、五七調日本語には、この精神性が文化として凝縮されている。芭蕉さんの「苦吟」ぶりには、この列島人のコアなこころが発露している。
　そんな敬虔な思いを、感じさせていただいている。・・・

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The Foundations of Short-Form Culture: The Creation of Hiragana / Journey Through Japanese 5-7 Syllable Poetry - 10
From the introduction of ideographic kanji to the development of Manyōgana and hiragana for integration with Yamato Kotoba, maintaining and advancing phonetic representation. Further evolution toward a 5-7 syllable culture emphasizing phonetics. ...

　As a postwar generation raised in modern society—one shaped by the Meiji Japanese language revolution that imposed prose-based cultural dominance across society—and having continuously learned and used Japanese, I find myself struck by many things through this temporal gap and accompanying journey through Matsuo Bashō's “The Narrow Road to the Deep North.”
　Above all, the most significant realization is that the expression of the Japanese “mental image” of nature's beauty—and the process of refining it—has long been carried out through a culture of brevity throughout Japanese history. In the unique conditions of an island nation with extremely distinct seasonal changes, the spiritual culture of nature's beauty is fundamentally easy to “understand” and share. One comes to understand that within the expression of nature through flowers, birds, wind, and moonlight lies a profound communication between people sharing the same archipelago society. While Hokkaido residents live a uniquely new form of this ‘flowers, birds, wind, and moonlight’ culture, the most delayed within the archipelago society, their fundamental spirituality is deeply synchronized.
In such communication, the basic principle remains an exchange where “if you strike, it resonates.”
　The 5-7 syllable structure is truly the most appropriate tool for this. After conceiving a verse, Basho would chew it over internally, comparing it against this shared Japanese knowledge of nature's beauty, sharpening his focus on symbolism and conciseness. You can sense him refining it through layer upon layer of revision, thinking things like, “Here, let's use ‘は’ instead of ‘を’.” The agonizing deliberation evident between several surviving “drafts” and the final forms is profoundly fascinating. And this selection process remains clear and understandable even to a fool like me, living so far in the future. Hmm... I deeply agree.
And in this kind of mental imagery expression, I realize the most crucial factor is that Japanese is fundamentally structured around two-syllable and three-syllable units. Long ago, within the tool that was Yamato Kotoba, there occurred the enormous revolution of introducing Chinese characters. Transitioning from a dispersed society of Yaoyorozu (eight million deities) to a unified society, Japan introduced the Ritsuryō system from the Chinese mainland. Furthermore, as a cultural norm, it underwent the great revolution of introducing Buddhism upon the foundation of Shinto.
Upon introducing “kanji,” ‘Manyōgana’ was immediately developed as an essential translation and introduction tool. Over time, spanning from the Asuka to the early Heian periods, it evolved and developed into “hiragana.”

This development of hiragana fully demonstrated the archipelago society's spirituality: “flexibly accepting and decisively simplifying.”
　Indeed, this spirit is culturally condensed within Japanese poetry's 5-7 syllable structure. Basho's agonizing “kugin” reveals the core spirit of the Japanese people.
I feel deeply moved by such reverent sentiment...

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Available on Amazon.　

【芭蕉足跡を集中体感する江戸下町／五七調日本語の旅-9】

　芭蕉さんが生きた街である江戸隅田川東岸側の「深川」。昔人である松尾芭蕉という人物の行動痕跡が、各所に確認することができる街区になっている。1644年〜1694年を生きた先人から330年ほどを経過して、その人物痕跡がそこかしこに残り続けているのは、その俳句作品がいかに日本人に親しまれてきたか、を明瞭に示していると思う。下に示した絵図はこの芭蕉の庵があった場所にほど近い隅田川に掛かっていた木造の橋の様子。「新」大橋と名付けられていて、時代相をその名からも感じさせてくれる。
　このブログシリーズでは五七調という、日本語独特の音感と意味の融合的な「文学形式」の象徴として松尾芭蕉さんの足跡をあてどなく彷徨っているのだけれど、こういった江戸深川の各所にその痕跡を確認できることから、日本人がそのわかりやすい文学形式にいかに愛情を感じ続けてきたかが伝わってくる。

　330年近い時間は経過しているけれど、例えば芭蕉さんがこの周辺の水辺にあった「庵」で「古池や蛙飛び込む水の音」と詠んだ余韻たっぷりの「作品」が自然に脳裏に沸き立って、深く癒される。奥の細道の道行きを探り随伴してみて、ひとつの句に至るためのコトバの「吟味・格闘」のようなものが、すこしづつ、わたしのような愚人にも、その相貌の一端が見えてくるように思える。
　わたしたち日本人はその後明治以降、いわゆる「文豪」の輩出という文学表現革命を経験するのだけれど、どうも、そういう文豪がいくら束になってかかっても、この短文文学の余韻には太刀打ちできていないのではないか。そもそも文学の成立のために選び取った「出版」という手段と、この五七調短文詩の世界の成立経済構造自体に大きな違いが存在すると思える。そして気になるのは、心中とか自死というようなその後の日本文学作家たちの内面性での自己崩壊感。・・・
　作家と住空間という一種の「ライフテーマ」の道行きを自分勝手に続けているけれど、やはり散文文学では五七調が醸し出す豊穣さには、いまだに手も足も出ていないようにも思われる。夏目漱石が、盟友・正岡子規が目指していた世界とのはざまで、東京大学文学部を率いて世界標準の散文による科学的合理性追求のための「日本語革命」に邁進しつつ、深く「胃痛」を抱え続けていた、ということに惻隠の念を持つ。はるかな後世の日本語文化圏の人間として、その悩みの一端を垣間見る気がする。吾が輩を猫にしてしまったユーモアの底の屈折感。

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【Immersing in Basho's Footsteps: A Journey Through Edo's Downtown / The Rhythm of Japanese Haiku-Style Verse-9】
The profound national affection for the culture of brevity, sedimented and manifested in the commoners' city around the Sumida River. As an expression of the heart, what of the prose culture since the Meiji era? ...

　Fukagawa, on the east bank of the Sumida River in Edo, is the town where Basho lived. It is a neighborhood where traces of the actions of Matsuo Basho, a man of the past, can be found in various places. That traces of this man, who lived from 1644 to 1694, remain so vividly some 330 years later clearly demonstrates how deeply his haiku works have been cherished by the Japanese people. The illustration below shows a wooden bridge spanning the Sumida River, located quite close to where Basho's hermitage once stood. It was named the “New” Bridge, a name that itself evokes the spirit of the times.
In this blog series, I'm aimlessly wandering in search of Matsuo Basho's footsteps as a symbol of the “literary form” unique to Japanese—the fusion of sound and meaning in the 5-7 syllable rhythm. The fact that traces of him can be found in various places throughout Edo Fukagawa conveys how deeply the Japanese people have continued to cherish this accessible literary form.

　Nearly 330 years have passed, yet when I walk these paths, the lingering resonance of Basho's masterpiece—composed in a hermitage by the waters here—“An old pond / A frog jumps in / The sound of water”—rises vividly in my mind, deeply soothing me. As I trace the path of The Narrow Road to the Deep North and accompany it, the “careful deliberation and struggle” with words required to arrive at a single verse seems, little by little, to reveal a glimpse of its true nature even to a fool like me.
We Japanese later experienced a literary revolution in the form of the emergence of so-called “literary giants” after the Meiji era. Yet, it seems that even if all these literary giants banded together, they still couldn't match the lingering resonance of this short-form literature. Fundamentally, I suspect a vast difference exists between the means of “publication” chosen for literature's establishment and the very economic structure underpinning the world of these five-seven syllable short poems. And what troubles me is the sense of inner collapse—suicide pacts, self-destruction—that permeates the inner lives of subsequent Japanese literary figures. ...
While I continue my own arbitrary exploration of the “life theme” of writers and their living spaces, it still seems that prose literature has yet to come close to matching the richness cultivated by the 5-7 rhythm. I feel a pang of sympathy for Natsume Sōseki, who, caught between the world his close friend Masaoka Shiki aspired to and his own pursuit of a “Japanese language revolution” through world-standard prose and scientific rationality while leading the University of Tokyo's Faculty of Letters, endured deep “stomach pains.” As someone from the distant future within the Japanese cultural sphere, I feel I glimpse a fragment of that anguish. The underlying sense of distortion beneath the humor that turned me into a cat.

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Available on Amazon.

【芭蕉はどんな家に住んでいたか？／五七調日本語の旅-8】

　さて「奥の細道」など漂泊、旅に生きた詩人という印象の強い芭蕉さんですが、やはりホームポジションというものはあって、そこから各地に「旅立った」のだから住宅痕跡情報は残っている。その復元されたものが写真。東京江東区の「芭蕉記念館」にある。江東区はわたしも好き。若い勤め人として東京で住んでいるときにはひたすら「山の手」地域の目黒区にいたけれど、旅人して訪れるようになると逆に「下町」志向が強くなって清澄白河とか門前仲町などに惹かれホテルを取り隅田川周辺を朝散歩するようになっている。早朝散歩では東京駅八重洲口くらいまで足を伸ばしていて、その利便性の良さと庶民性に面白がっていた地域。
　江戸初期の時代、この界隈がどのような街並みであったか想像すれば、やはり庶民的な風景だったように思える。江戸城などのおっかない雰囲気ではなく、隅田川の流路に沿って庶民が暮らしやすい生活圏が広がっていたことが想像できる。
　一方で現代人としてはこの「わび住まい」では奥さんとかはどうしてたの？と疑問に思うけれど、芭蕉さんはとくに妻帯した形跡が乏しい。一応、寿貞尼（じゅていに）さんという「いい仲」（笑）だった女性はいたようだけれど、彼女は他の男性と夫婦関係で子どもも３人いたという。ただ、芭蕉さんの「身の回り」的なことには子どもも含めて関与したという情報もある。ちょっと現代常識とは違う男女関係だったようです。
　なのだけれど、当時の江戸の街は妻帯して家を維持するというケースはむしろ稀な、地方からの若年男性人口集中大都市。地方の農家の次男３男層にとっては「長い出稼ぎ暮らし」というのが実情に近かったのだろう。だから吉原遊興などで「宵越しの金は持たない」破滅的な人生模様が一般性を持っていたのだろう。
　そういう町ではこんな庵暮らしでもいっぱしの「宗匠」身分だったのか。いやむしろそういう家の保守安定方向ではない価値観が共有され、持家の意味合いが希薄だったのか。戦後社会での大都市流入人口の住宅建築、購入というわたしたちの「住宅市場観」とはまったく異質。
　まぁ余談だけれどこれからの日本社会での住宅市場では、当然ながらその購入層の大変動が強く反映していく可能性が高くなってきていると思う。「出稼ぎ的」外国人問題など。

　なお、芭蕉庵というこの家の名付けは「芭蕉」という植物由来。写真説明に「japanese Banana」という説明があったけれど、果実のバナナが成ることはない類縁種の植物。芭蕉という人名からは「佗茶」系植物を想像しがちだけれど、この「絵詞」の図からは完全に「イケてる」トンデモ風江戸オジさんなのかも。

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What Kind of House Did Basho Live In? / Journey Through Japanese 5-7-5 Rhythm - 8
The reconstruction of “Basho-an” in Fukagawa, Edo's lower town. Japanese banana = the plant Basho. The impact of Japanese garden aesthetics is like stepping into another world. ...

　Now, while Basho is strongly associated with wandering and living for travel, as seen in works like The Narrow Road to the Deep North, he did have a home base. He “set out” from there to various places, so traces of his residence remain. The photo shows a restored version of this. It's at the Basho Memorial Museum in Koto Ward, Tokyo. I like Koto Ward too. When I lived in Tokyo as a young office worker, I stayed solely in the “Yamanote” area of Meguro Ward. But as I began visiting as a traveler, I developed a stronger preference for the “Shitamachi” neighborhoods. I found myself drawn to places like Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and Monzen-Nakacho, booking hotels there and taking morning walks around the Sumida River. During these early morning strolls, I'd often walk as far as the Yaesu Exit of Tokyo Station, enjoying the area's convenience and its down-to-earth, ordinary feel.
　When I imagine what this neighborhood looked like in the early Edo period, it seems it was indeed a commoner's landscape. Unlike the intimidating atmosphere around Edo Castle, I can picture a livable community for ordinary people spreading out along the Sumida River's course.
On the other hand, as a modern person, I wonder, “What about wives in these ‘wabi-style dwellings’?” But there's little evidence that Basho was married. He did have a woman named Juteini, with whom he had a “close relationship” (laugh), but she was married to another man and had three children with him. However, there is also information suggesting she was involved in matters concerning Basho's “personal affairs,” including those related to his children. It seems their relationship was somewhat different from modern norms.
　But Edo at that time was a major metropolis crowded with young men from the provinces, where maintaining a household with a wife was actually rare. For second or third sons from rural farming families, the reality was closer to a “long life of migrant labor.” That's probably why the self-destructive lifestyle of “never keeping money overnight”—spent on Yoshiwara pleasure quarters—was so common.
In such a town, even living in a hut like this made him a proper “master” figure. Or rather, perhaps values diverging from the conservative, stable path of homeownership were shared, making the concept of owning a house itself rather thin. This is entirely different from our postwar “housing market perspective” shaped by the housing construction and purchases of large-city influx populations.
Well, as an aside, I think the housing market in Japan going forward will likely see significant shifts strongly reflecting major changes in the purchasing demographic. Issues like the influx of “migrant worker-like” foreigners, for instance.

　The name of this house, Basho-an, derives from the plant “basho.” The photo caption mentioned “Japanese banana,” but it's a related plant species that doesn't bear the fruit bananas. While the name ‘Bashō’ might make one imagine plants like “Wada-cha,” this “E-kotoba” illustration suggests he might have been a totally “cool” and outrageous Edo-period dude.

●Notice
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Available on Amazon.

【西行を慕う芭蕉、平泉にて／五七調日本語の旅-7】

　日本の文章・文学というのは、中国大陸からの「漢字」文化の導入という最大のエポックを経験して以降、もともと発語されていたに違いない「やまとことば」との統合が主要な発展経緯だっただろう。古事記・日本書紀の編纂という文化大事業が「国家事業」として取り組まれてきた。
　そのプロセスで「ひらかな・カタカナ」が創案されていったことは日本独特の咀嚼文化の事始めとして、社会全般あらゆる事象で後世までインパクトを与え続けた。「柔軟に受け入れ、独自に使いやすく変容させる」ということが「日本らしさ」とも言えるのだろう。
　明治以降、この特質が対西洋文明に対して発動され急速な近代化・現代化が可能になった。ただし日本語としては江戸期までの対中華圏文化に対してよりカタカナの活用が強化され、日本的な韻文余韻文化・五七調から科学的明晰化・散文重視に大きく方向性が変化した。韻文余韻重視「文学」から離陸していったのだと言える。
　芭蕉が生きていたのは江戸時代前期。韻文余韻表現の先人として平安末期〜鎌倉初期の西行に、強く惹かれていたことがあきらか。この奥の細道行はたぶん芭蕉のなかでは西行が詠んだ平泉にまつわる五七調表現をカラダで実体験したいということが目的だと想像できる。
　とりわきて 心もしみて 冴えぞわたる 衣河みにきたるけふしも
　ききもせず たばしねやまのさくら花 よしののほかに かかるべしとは　（西行・山家集）
　西行（1118－1190）がこの地を訪れた時代は奥州藤原氏全盛の時代。西行は平泉を2度訪問。1度目は20代後半で目的は100年以上前の歌人・能因法師が訪れたみちのくの歌枕（和歌にちなんだ地名や名所）を実際に巡ること。このとき奥州藤原氏は全盛期。2度目は1186年で69歳、平家滅亡・焼討ちされた東大寺再建の資金勧請に訪ねた。西行は目的を果たしたがその後の藤原氏滅亡の戦乱で送金は途絶えた。翌年西行は73歳の生涯を閉じる。
　約400年後の芭蕉の行動録：1689年5月13日一関を発つ。天気晴。11時ごろ平泉に到着。高館・衣川・衣の関・中尊寺・光堂・泉城・桜川・桜山・秀衡屋敷などを見る。午後4時ごろ一関の宿に帰る。夜、入浴。
　夏草や兵どもが夢の跡
　五月雨の降り残してや光堂　　（芭蕉・奥の細道）
　江戸期には平泉中尊寺は往時からは衰微していたとされ、施設としては金色堂・覆堂と本堂のみ残っていたと言われる。芭蕉は１日で旅宿機能のあっただろう一関との間を往復している。
　西行と芭蕉。明治期以前の伝統的日本詩文文化の巨人２人。
　どんな無言対話を、芭蕉は西行の魂魄にこころみていたのだろうか？

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【Basho, Longing for Saigyo, at Hiraizumi / Journey Through Japanese 5-7-5 Rhythm - 7】
After spending a day wandering through Hiraizumi, worn down by the May rains, Basho must have repeatedly let the poetry and prose of Saigyo, the great literary forerunner, echo in his mind. ...

　Japanese writing and literature, following the epochal introduction of the “kanji” culture from the Chinese mainland, likely developed primarily through the integration of what must have been the indigenous spoken language, “Yamato-kotoba.” The compilation of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki represented a monumental cultural undertaking pursued as a “national project.”
Within this process, the creation of hiragana and katakana marked the beginning of Japan's unique culture of assimilation, exerting a lasting impact across all societal phenomena for generations to come. This ability to “flexibly accept and adapt for unique, practical use” could be described as quintessentially Japanese.
　After the Meiji period, this trait was applied to Western civilization, enabling rapid modernization and contemporary development. However, within the Japanese language itself, the use of katakana intensified relative to the Chinese cultural sphere prevalent until the Edo period. This marked a significant shift in direction: away from the Japanese culture of poetic resonance and the 5-7 syllable rhythm, towards scientific clarity and an emphasis on prose. It can be said that Japanese literature took off from its roots in the poetic resonance-focused “literature.”
　Basho lived in the early Edo period. It's clear he was strongly drawn to Saigyo, a master of lyrical resonance from the late Heian to early Kamakura periods. One can imagine that his journey along the Narrow Road to the Deep North was likely driven by a desire to physically experience the 5-7 syllable expressions Saigyo had composed about Hiraizumi.
　Today, arriving at the Kurokawa River,
My heart is deeply moved,
And my spirit grows clear.
Without a sound,
The cherry blossoms of Tabashineyama—
Beyond Yoshino,
Such beauty must exist.
(Saigyo, Shōka-shū)
The era when Saigyo (1118–1190) visited this place was the height of the Oshu Fujiwara clan's power. Saigyo visited Hiraizumi twice. The first time, in his late twenties, his purpose was to visit the Michinoku song-beds (places associated with waka poetry) that the poet Nōin Hōshi had visited over a hundred years earlier. At this time, the Fujiwara clan of Oshu was at its zenith. His second visit was in 1186, at age 69, to solicit funds for rebuilding Tōdai-ji Temple, which had been destroyed and burned during the Heike clan's downfall. Saigyō achieved his goal, but subsequent wars following the Fujiwara clan's demise halted the funds. The following year, Saigyō passed away at age 73.
　Approximately 400 years later, Basho's travel record: Departed Ichinoseki on May 13, 1689. Weather clear. Arrived at Hiraizumi around 11:00. Saw Takadate, Kinugawa, Kinokawa Pass, Chusonji Temple, Kodo Hall, Izumi Castle, Sakura River, Sakurayama, and Hidehira's Residence. Returned to lodging in Ichinoseki around 4:00 PM. Bathed at night.
Summer grasses—traces of warriors' dreams
Leaving behind the lingering rain of May at Kōdō Hall (Bashō, The Narrow Road to the Deep North)
By the Edo period, Hiraizumi's Chūson-ji Temple was said to have declined from its former glory, with only the Konjikidō Hall, Fukkōdō Hall, and the Main Hall remaining as structures. Bashō traveled back and forth in a single day between Hiraizumi and Ichinoseki, which likely served as lodging.
　Saigyō and Basho. Two giants of traditional Japanese poetry and prose culture before the Meiji period.
What silent dialogue did Basho seek to engage with Saigyō's spirit?

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available on Amazon.

【埴谷雄高「死霊」５章〜死者（存在）の電話箱・断簡】

　昨日のブログ写真について、ちょっと驚かせてしまったとやや反省気味。
　わたし自身は「どうかなぁ」とは思っていたのですが、高齢期にはカラダにはいろいろなことが起こる。やや不気味と思う可能性はあるけれど、他の部位の病変であればその患部の特定をしても不快の念はあまりないでしょう。目もひとつの器官であり正直にその病変推移を記録登録しておくのは日記的に意味があると思った次第。ご不快な思いをされた方にはお詫びいたします。
　なんですが本日朝、またスマホ写真自撮りで確認したところ、さらに白目部分はより白色化が進行していて、もう数日でほとんど気にならなくなると希望的観測に到達。高齢期に結膜炎を患うことになっても、養生をきちんと考えれば無事回復する実例・実況という趣旨。
　ブログという表現形式が今後どうなっていくのかは不明ですが、現代デジタル時代の「公開日記」形式としては有意義でしょう。文学表現というジャンル自体が未来に展望を見いだせなくなってきている中で、いろいろな個人が「残していく」データ形式としては存続価値はあると思います。たぶんAIの進化によって「人間が考えたこと」の総合化が進んでいってその分析対象になるのでしょう。
　で、不気味と受け取られるかも知れない写真をどうして公開したか、ですが、ふと自分のなかでどっか繋がっているかもと気付いたのが写真の埴谷雄高氏の「死霊」。第５章に記述された「死者（存在）の電話箱」の表現に発表当時（1976年）強烈なインパクトを受けていたことを回想させられた。
　「死霊」は形而上小説というきわめて特異なものだったのですが、死者に死が訪れるその極限状況を刻々と「伝える」という状況仕立てで、その「書きたいこと」に深く驚き感銘を受けていた。この作品の発表時期にはわたしはすでに就職していて翌日はふつうに勤務なのに、夢中に耽読してしまって、目が冴え冴えと興奮してまったく眠られなくなったのですね。
　そうだよね、死は誰にでもやってくる事柄だけれどそのことについて「コミュニケーション」の一領域と捉えて「実況する」という発想にひどく興奮させられた。人間にとって死を実況することもやがてあり得るのではないか。もしあったら、小説とかの想像世界をはるかに超えるリアルな世界に人類はやがて目覚めていくことになるのではないか。
　まぁ、埴谷雄高氏によって「けしかけられた」そんな内心が類縁的にあるのかも知れません。

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[Yutaka Haniya, “Dead Spirits,” Chapter 5: Telephone Box of the Dead (Existence), Fragments]
Yesterday's photo may have caused some discomfort. I apologize again. Somewhere deep inside me is the impression of an author I encountered in my youth. The bizarre spectacle of death. ...

　I feel a little remorseful for shocking people with yesterday's blog photo.
I myself had my doubts about it, but various things happen to the body in old age. It may seem a little creepy, but if it were a lesion in another part of the body, I don't think it would be so unpleasant to identify the affected area. The eye is also an organ, and I thought it would be meaningful to record the progression of the lesion honestly, as if keeping a diary. I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable.
　However, when I checked again this morning using a smartphone selfie, the white part of the eye had become even whiter, and I reached the hopeful conclusion that it would no longer be noticeable in a few days. Even if one develops conjunctivitis in old age, this is an example of how proper care can lead to a full recovery.
While it is unclear how the blog format will evolve in the future, it remains a meaningful form of “public diary” in the modern digital age. Even as the genre of literary expression itself seems to be losing its future prospects, I believe that the data format individuals leave behind retains its value. Perhaps with the evolution of AI, the synthesis of “human thoughts” will advance, and this data will become an object of analysis.
As for why I chose to publish a photo that might be perceived as unsettling, it was because I suddenly realized there might be a connection to Haniya Yutaka's “The Dead Spirit” in the photo. It reminded me of the strong impact I felt when I first read the description of the “telephone box of the dead (existence)” in Chapter 5 when it was first published in 1976.
“The Spirit of the Dead” was an extremely unique metaphysical novel, but I was deeply surprised and impressed by the way it depicted the extreme situation of death approaching the dead, and the way it conveyed that situation. At the time of its publication, I was already employed, and despite having to work the next day, I became so engrossed in reading it that I couldn't sleep at all, my mind racing with excitement.
That's right; death is something that comes to everyone, but the idea of treating it as a realm of “communication” and “reporting” it live was incredibly exciting. Perhaps one day, humans will be able to live-stream death as well. If that happens, humanity may eventually awaken to a reality far surpassing the imaginary worlds of novels.
Perhaps such thoughts were sparked by Haniya Yutaka's work.

●Announcement
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Available for purchase on Amazon.

【片赤目男に変身の「結膜炎」 発症から１週間】

　ちょっとこの写真には驚かれるかも知れませんが悪しからず。
　結膜炎については若いときからちょこちょこと罹患していまして、そのこと自体は慣れているのです。しかし今回、8/19にマイカー車中でふと気付いて急激に左目が赤変していった事態については、その赤目っぷりが極端だったので病院に駆け込んでおりました。いちばん不安だったのは、昨年遭遇した心臓の冠動脈への血液中のプラーク転移という事態が、今度は脳血管へ影響したのか、ということでした。
　冷静な眼科医さんの専門家としての見立てではウィルス性などの怖れもない一般的な結膜炎で、自然治癒に任せるので構わない、というか投薬などはしない、ということでほぼ１週間推移しております。
　ちょっと見た目には重症と思えましたが、ことが単純な結膜炎ということで安心して病状の推移を観察し続けてきておりました。仕事も第一線は退いていて、家人を除いては対人接触も一部の友人だけということも幸いでした。
　写真上が8/19の左目の拡大写真で、下が本日8/25早朝１番の状況。
　近年はスマホの写真機能で、自分を撮影することが出来るようになったので、それを使ってこういった症状の目視による「自己診断」ツールとして活用しております。こういう社会の利便性の向上はたいへんありがたい。
　で、左目の病状推移は牛歩の歩みではありますが、発症直後の「どす黒さ」からはだいぶ症状が軽快してきているのが確認できる。まだ「範囲」自体は変わっていないようですが、その黒ずんだ赤色から明るめの赤目に変容してきているのが確認できる。
　肌の明度・色調などはほぼ同定できているので、赤目の変化がわかりやすい。いくつかの「血痕」箇所が浮き上がってきているようにも見られます。自己判断としてはおおむね順調に推移してきていると。お医者さんからも「完治するまでには３週間程度はかかるよ」とも言われていたので、その通りの状況。
　こういう高齢者のひとつの症例推移として、みなさんの参考にもなるのではというカミさんからの勧めもあって公開させていただきました。ご理解いただければ幸いです。

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[Conjunctivitis that turned my eye red: One week after onset]
I was surprised by the extreme redness of my eye caused by this conjunctivitis, but it was a simple symptom that gradually healed with rest. It progressed as the specialist predicted, so I was relieved. ...

　You may be surprised by this photo, but please bear with me.
I have had conjunctivitis on and off since I was young, so I am used to it. However, on August 19, I suddenly noticed that my left eye was turning red while I was in my car, and I rushed to the hospital because the redness was so extreme. What worried me most was whether the situation I encountered last year, where plaque in my blood had migrated to my coronary arteries, had now affected my brain vessels.
The calm ophthalmologist’s professional assessment was that it was a common case of conjunctivitis with no viral concerns, and that it would heal naturally on its own, meaning no medication was necessary. It has been nearly a week since then.
　Although it looked severe at first glance, I was relieved to know it was a simple case of conjunctivitis and continued to monitor the condition. Fortunately, I had stepped back from frontline work, and aside from family members, I only had limited contact with a few friends.
The top photo is an enlarged image of the left eye on August 19, and the bottom is the current condition as of the early morning of August 25.
　In recent years, with the photo function on smartphones, it has become possible to take photos of oneself, so I have been using this as a tool for visual “self-diagnosis” of such symptoms. The improvement in societal convenience is truly appreciated.
The progression of the left eye's condition is slow, but it is clear that the symptoms have improved significantly from the initial “darkness” at the onset. While the “area” itself appears unchanged, the dark red color has begun to transition to a lighter red hue.
Since the skin's brightness and tone are largely consistent, the changes in the redness are easily discernible. Several “bloodstain”-like areas also seem to be emerging. In my own assessment, the condition is progressing smoothly overall. The doctor also mentioned that it would take about three weeks to fully recover, so the situation is as expected.
At my wife's suggestion, I have decided to share this case as an example of how the condition progresses in an elderly individual, hoping it may be of reference to others. I appreciate your understanding.

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available for purchase on Amazon.

【天変で消滅の「象潟」で芭蕉吟句／五七調日本語の旅-6】

　昨日の「松島」での芭蕉さんの様子に続いて、この当時（江戸中期）みちのくと言えば松島と並び称されるほどにその「風向明媚」ぶりが垂涎されていた秋田県にかほ市の「象潟〜きさかた」について、であります。（写真は7/31千歳-東京の空便からの鳥海山遠景と象潟の田植え時期写真、Googleマップ）
　この象潟は秋田県と山形県の「県境」の鳥海山を背景とした地域。芭蕉さんは前日に現在の山形県酒田市から日本海側の道を通って北上したと書かれている。現在の道路を通って36.7kmなので、まぁ１日がかりの道程だったことだろう。ただ、その間ずっと鳥海山を右手にゆったりと北上した・・・と思いきや、奥の細道の描かれた様子では、ずっと雨に打たれ続けて象潟に到着しているようだ。
　以下引用（山梨県立大学HP）〜6月15日：酒田より象潟に向けて出立。朝より小雨。昼過ぎ遊佐町（吹浦）に到着。強雨のためここに宿泊。 6月16日：吹浦を出発。降雨の中を秋田県由利郡象潟町へ。うやむやの関に至る。ここで雨甚だ強く、船小屋で休憩。昼過ぎ、塩越に到着。佐々木孫左衛門次郎宅に入る。ここで濡れた着物の着替えを調達した。うどんを出される。雨の中を象潟に行き、暮色を眺める。今野加兵衛来る。
　どうもたいへん厳しい道行きだったよう。
　「象潟や　雨に西施が　ねぶの花 」
　〜酒田の湊より東北の方、山を越、礒を伝ひ、いさごをふみて其際十里、日影やゝかたぶく比、汐風 真砂を吹上、雨朦朧として鳥海の山かくる。闇中に莫作して「雨も又奇也」とせば、雨後の晴色又たのもしきと、蜑の苫屋に膝をいれて、雨の晴を待。其朝天能霽て、朝日花やかにさし出る程に、象潟に舟をうかぶ。先能因島に舟をよせて、三年幽居の跡をとぶらひ、むかふの岸に舟をあがれば「花の上こぐ」とよまれし桜の老木、西行法師の記念をのこす。〔中略）寺の方丈に座して簾を捲ば、風景一眼の中に尽て、南に鳥海、天をさゝえ、其陰うつりて江にあり。〔中略）江の縦横一里ばかり、俤松島にかよひて、又異なり。松島は笑ふが如く、象潟はうらむがごとし。寂しさに悲しみをくはえて、地勢魂をなやますに似たり。〜奥の細道記述〔要旨）。
　この象潟は江戸後期に大地震で一夜にして水面が消滅したということで、芭蕉の昔日をそのまま感じることはできない。西施というのは中国史に登場する「傾城の美女」・・・どうも中国史インテリ感が匂い立つ。
　昨日のブログへの反響に「四周を海に囲まれた日本という地理条件での「美感」が日本三景には凝縮しているのでしょう。こういう美の極致の精神感覚は世界的に特異な民族性を涵養するのだろうか。美学者などが大いに研究して欲しい領域」と返信したのですが、象潟は現代では広大な田んぼに変わっていて、その田植えの時期に、片鱗をうかがう風情になっている。
　松島は笑ふが如く、象潟はうらむがごとし、という芭蕉さんの心象は民族として興味深い。

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[Basho's haiku at Zoushikata, which disappeared due to natural disasters / A journey through Japanese 5-7 syllable poetry - 6]
The beauty of the sea, land, and islands is one of the three most scenic spots in Japan and is the basic melody of this archipelago society. It is a world apart from other regions of the earth. Haiku is an expression of that spirituality. ...

　Following yesterday's account of Basho's visit to Matsushima, this article focuses on Kisakata in Kakunodate City, Akita Prefecture, which was considered to be as beautiful as Matsushima at that time (mid-Edo period) and was the envy of many. (Photos: July 31, 2023, aerial view of Mount Chokai from a flight between Chitose and Tokyo, and a photo of rice planting season in Kisakata, Google Maps)
Kisakata is a region located along the prefectural border between Akita and Yamagata Prefectures, with Mount Chokai as its backdrop. Basho is recorded as having traveled northward the previous day from what is now Sakata City in Yamagata Prefecture via the Japan Sea coast route. The current road is 36.7 km long, so it was probably a day-long journey. However, while one might imagine that he traveled northward leisurely with Mount Chōkai on his right, the description in “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” suggests that he arrived at Zōgata after being continuously drenched in rain.

June 15: Departed from Sakata for Zoushikata. Light rain in the morning. Arrived at Yusa Town (Fukaura) after noon. Stayed here due to heavy rain. June 16: Departed from Fukaura. Traveled through the rain to Zao Town, Yuri District, Akita Prefecture. Reached Uyamaya Pass. The rain was very heavy here, so we rested at a boat house. Arrived at Shiozaki in the afternoon. Entered the home of Sasaki Magosaburo Jiro. Here, we obtained dry clothes to change into. We were served udon noodles. Traveled through the rain to Zao and watched the sunset. Imono Kabei arrived.
It seems to have been a very difficult journey.
　“Zoushikata, rain, Xi Shi, nebu flowers.”
From Sakata Port, we crossed the mountains, followed the coastline, and walked ten miles. As the sun began to set, the sea breeze blew sand onto the shore, and the rain obscured the view of Mount Chokai. In the darkness, I thought, “Rain is also a wonder,” and waited for the rain to clear in the thatched hut of a fisherman, looking forward to the clear sky after the rain. The next morning, the sky cleared, and the sun rose brightly, so I set sail for Zoushikata. We docked the boat at Sennin Island, visited the site of his three-year seclusion, and when we landed on the opposite shore, we saw the old cherry tree known as “the cherry tree that blooms above the flowers,” which commemorates Saigyo Hoshi. [Omitted] Sitting in the temple's main hall and rolling up the curtains, the scenery was all within sight, with Mount Chokai to the south, piercing the sky, and its shadow falling on the river. [Omitted] The bay stretches for about a mile in all directions, resembling Matsushima, yet different. Matsushima smiles, while Aisawa seems to lament. The loneliness adds to the sadness, as if the terrain itself were tormenting the soul. ~From “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” (summary).
　This Zao Bay is said to have disappeared overnight due to a major earthquake in the late Edo period, so it is impossible to feel the same way as Basho did in the past. Xi Shi is a “beauty who brought down a city” who appears in Chinese history... It seems to have a strong sense of Chinese history.
In response to yesterday's blog, I replied, "The ‘sense of beauty’ in Japan's geographical conditions, surrounded by the sea on all sides, is condensed in the Three Great Views of Japan. Does this spiritual sense of the pinnacle of beauty nurture a uniquely distinctive national character? This is an area that art historians and others should study extensively." However, in modern times, Zao has transformed into vast rice fields, and during the rice-planting season, one can glimpse a hint of its former charm.
Basho's mental image of “Matsushima laughs, while Zao mourns” is fascinating from a national perspective.

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available on Amazon.

【なぜ芭蕉は「松島」を詠まなかったか？／五七調日本語の旅-5】

　芭蕉さんは「歌枕を訪ねる旅」として奥の細道を行脚されたけれど、なぜか松島については句が残されていない。（写真は無関係。昨日の札幌の「うろこ雲」とGoogleマップ「松島」）
　奥の細道の「曽良」さんの清書された文章（『おくのほそ道』素龍清書本）では、松島の条では以下のような記述。
　〜松島は扶桑第一の好風にして
　およそ洞庭、西湖を恥ぢず。
　東南より海を入れて、
　江のうち三里、浙江の潮をたたふ。
　島々の数をつくして、
　そばだつものは天を指さし、
　伏すものは波にはらばふ。

　あるは二重に重なり、三重にたたみて、
　左にわかれ右に連なる。
　負へるあり、抱けるあり、児孫愛すがごとし。

　松の緑こまやかに、枝葉潮風に吹きたわめて、
　屈曲おのづから矯めたるがごとし。
　その気色、窅然として美人の顔を粧ふ。
　ちはやぶる神の昔、
　大山つみのなせるわざにや。
　造化の天工、
　いづれの人か筆をふるひ、ことばを尽くさむ。
　
　雄島が磯は、地続きて海に出でたる島なり。
　雲居禅師の別室の跡、座禅石などあり。
　はた、松の木陰に世をいとふ人も　
　まれまれ見え侍りて、
　落ち穂・松かさなどうちけぶりたる草の庵、　　
　静かに住みなし、
　いかなる人とは知られずながら、
　まづなつかしく立ち寄るほどに、
　月、海に映りて、昼のながめ、またあらたむ。　
　江上に帰りて宿を求むれば、
　窓を開き二階を作りて、
　風雲の中に旅寝するこそ、
　あやしきまで、妙なる心地はせらるれ。

　松島や　鶴に身を借れ　ほととぎす　　曾良
　
　予は口を閉ぢて眠らんとして寝ねられず。
　旧庵を別るるとき、素堂、松島の詩あり。
　原安適、松が浦島の和歌を贈らる。
　袋を解きて、こよひの友とす。
　かつ、杉風、濁子が発句あり。
＜以上、奥の細道 原文全文より転載。＞
　
　というような記述で、「予」は「口を閉ぢて眠らんとして寝ねられず」と記されている。正直な「感想」というような記述だろうか。お弟子さんの曾良さんの「松島や　鶴に身を借れ　ほととぎす」と詠じている句が記されるのみ。
　たっぷりと情景描写はされていて「あやしきまで、妙なる心地はせらるれ」とあるので、現地での体感でもさまざまなイメージは盛り上がっていたことは間違いがない。
　この時代までの日本人の感性としてはやはり「多島海」の風景に強い心象があったのだろう。このあと、いまは干上がっている多島海として知られていた東北秋田の「象潟〜きさかた」をも探訪している。ここでも松島との対比が語られていた。日本三景である「松島・天橋立・厳島」ともすべてが海と陸地との景観美。
　やはり音節重視の５７調による詠嘆表現という日本文学の主要なテーマ性に於いて、これらの情景がもっとも「歌枕」とされやすいということなのだろう。
　松島にとって芭蕉さんが句を残さなかったことは、案外良かったのかも知れない。
　「特別」感がよりきわだつ効果があったのではとも思える。う〜む。とても敵わないみたいな（笑）。

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English version⬇　
　
Why didn't Basho write about Matsushima? / A Journey Through Japanese Poetry in 5-7 Syllable Verse - 5
The original text, “Oku no Hosomichi,” contains quite detailed and intricate expressions of emotion. It conveys a sense of mystery and wonder, as well as a sigh of admiration. ...

　Basho traveled along the Oku no Hosomichi as a “journey to visit places mentioned in poems,” but for some reason, he left no poems about Matsushima. (The photo is unrelated. It shows yesterday's “fish scale clouds” in Sapporo and Google Maps' “Matsushima.”)
In the neatly written text of “Sora” from Oku no Hosomichi (Soryu Seisho-bon), the following description appears in the section on Matsushima.
　Matsushima is the finest scenery in Japan,
comparable to Dongting Lake and West Lake.
From the southeast, the sea flows in,
and within three miles of the river, the tides of the Zhejiang River surge.
The number of islands is countless,
some pointing toward the sky,
others lying flat on the waves.

　Some overlap in two layers, others in three,
branching left and right.
Some bear others, some embrace others, like parents loving their children.

The green of the pines is delicate, their branches and leaves swaying in the sea breeze,
bending naturally as if straightened.
Their appearance is serene, like the face of a beautiful woman adorned with makeup.
　In the ancient days of the gods,
was this the work of the great mountain gods?
The work of nature's artistry,
who could possibly wield a brush and find the words to describe it?

Oshima is an island connected to the mainland by a strip of land.
There are traces of the hermitage of the monk Unkyu, including a meditation stone.
　Indeed, people who shun the world can be seen
rarely in the shade of the pine trees,
living quietly in grass huts scattered with fallen ears of rice and pine cones,
without anyone knowing who they are.
Yet, one cannot help but feel a sense of familiarity upon visiting them,
as the moon reflects on the sea,
and the daytime view is renewed.　
　Returning to the river, I seek lodging,
opening the window and building a second floor,
sleeping in the midst of wind and clouds,
a strange yet wonderful feeling.

Matsushima, borrow the body of a crane, hototogisu.

I close my mouth and try to sleep, but cannot.
　When parting from the old hermitage, Sodo composed a poem about Matsushima.
Hara Yasutoki presented a waka poem about Matsushima.
Opening the bag, I made it my companion for the night.
Additionally, Sugi Kazé and Nakago composed haiku.

　Such descriptions include the phrase “Yū” being recorded as “closing his mouth and trying to sleep but unable to do so.” Is this an honest ‘impression’? The only other description is of his disciple Sōryō's poem, “Matsushima, borrow the body of a crane, hototogisu.”
　The scene is described in great detail, with the phrase “a mysterious, wonderful feeling” suggesting that the author's impressions of the place were indeed vivid.
It seems that the Japanese of that era had a strong emotional connection to the scenery of the “archipelago sea.” Later, he also visited “Kisakata” in Akita, Tohoku, which was once known as an archipelago sea but is now dry. Here too, the contrast with Matsushima was mentioned. All three of Japan's Three Scenic Views—Matsushima, Amanohashidate, and Itsukushima—feature the beauty of the landscape where sea and land meet.
Perhaps it is because these scenes are most easily associated with “utamakura” (poetic motifs) in Japanese literature, which emphasizes the rhythmic structure of 5-7 syllable verses.
　Perhaps it was for the best that Basho did not leave any haiku about Matsushima.
It may have had the effect of making it feel even more “special.” Hmm. It's really no match (laughs).

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available on Amazon.

【芭蕉の交通手段は？／五七調日本語の旅-4】

さてふたたび「奥の細道」松尾芭蕉さん探訪篇です。名前をいろいろ考えたけれど「五七調日本語の旅」というように固定させたい。
　言うまでもなく、現代生活では明治以降の洋風スタイル、世界標準文化の受容、追いつき追い越せの日本国家社会の「近代化現代化」が急務となって、国語というものが大きく変革されることになった。それはそうだろう、五七調日本語は、ともすれば言葉遊びに堕しかねない「音韻」を楽しむ言語文化。芭蕉はそういうなかで「変革者」ではあっても、基本的にはその日本的詩文音韻情感の世界にいる人物。
　司馬遼太郎はそういう科学文明受容の「国家使命」の国語文化改革の中心に据えられた夏目漱石が、孤独なイギリスでの「文化摂取」活動に於いて深く苦悩したという論旨を展開していた。わたしたち戦後人もまた、深く世界共通文化世界のなかで生きてきた。科学的明晰性を追求できる言語として、さまざまなカタカナでの直接単語導入とか、「的」という、英語「tic」の音韻的借用語尾を開発したりした。このような日本における改革は、とくに「的」など中国にも及んで漢字も日本の変革を経由して改革されてきている。そういう背景があって、今日の東アジア世界のありようは規定されてきている。
　現代ではさらに日本文化はその先を行くマンガというビジュアルツールの爆発的世界展開によって、世界標準化に至ろうとしている。またブログというオープンな表現手段によって文章表現の領域自体も大きく変革を余儀なくされてきている。旧来の著名作家の独占による文章文化世界も崩壊し大きな変革期がやってきている。
　そういう情勢の中で、温故知新。五七調日本語も再度見直すべきではないかと思える。
　おっと、本日のテーマからは大きく逸脱。目も、より一層赤くなってくる（笑）。
　写真は芭蕉さんの移動手段で銅像化されたもの。黒羽芭蕉館の玄関前設置。これは江戸期までの移動交通手段・伝馬制度によって宿駅から宿駅の間の移動手段として使われていた馬の利用。公共の用途では無料利用だったが、一般人は今日社会と同様に「相対賃銭」と言われる費用を負担していた。これは「公定賃銭」よりも高額で「御定」賃銭の2倍程度であったと言われている。現代でも国会議員は飛行機でも広い前方席を無賃乗車できるけれど、一般人は後部席の狭い席で高額を支払わされることにその残滓があるように思う。
　芭蕉さんも、訪問した地域有力者から馬代を費用負担してもらったりして、その感謝の旨を申告し記録したりしている。世は金に連れている・・・。

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https://amzn.asia/d/eUiv9yO


English version⬇　
　
[How did Basho travel? / A Journey Through Japanese Poetry - 4]
Today's era is a period of cultural change in communication, similar to the Japanese language reform period during the Meiji era. There has been a big bang of change, including the evolution of direct communication through manga and the destruction of the monopoly of experts through blog culture. ...

Now, let's return to Matsuo Basho's “Oku no Hosomichi” (The Narrow Road to the Deep North). I considered various names, but I decided to settle on “A Journey Through Japanese 5-7-5 Poetry.”
Needless to say, in modern life, the acceptance of Western-style culture and global standards since the Meiji era, as well as the Japanese national society's urgent need to “catch up and surpass” in its “modernization and industrialization,” led to major changes in the Japanese language. That makes sense, as the 5-7-5 Japanese verse form is a linguistic culture that enjoys “sound patterns,” which can easily devolve into wordplay. Basho was a “reformer” in that sense, but fundamentally, he remained within the world of Japanese poetic sound patterns and emotional expression.
　Shimabara Ryotaro argued that Natsume Soseki, who was placed at the center of the national language cultural reform as part of the “national mission” to embrace scientific civilization, deeply struggled during his solitary “cultural absorption” activities in England. We, the postwar generation, have also lived deeply within the shared cultural world. As a language capable of pursuing scientific clarity, we have introduced various direct loanwords using katakana and developed phonetic loanword suffixes such as “-teki,” derived from the English “-tic.” Such reforms in Japan have even extended to China, where characters have been reformed through Japan's reforms. Against this backdrop, the current state of East Asia has been shaped.
　In modern times, Japanese culture is further advancing toward global standardization through the explosive worldwide expansion of manga, a visual tool. Additionally, the realm of written expression itself is being forced to undergo significant transformation through the open expression medium of blogs. The traditional literary world dominated by renowned authors is collapsing, and a major transformative era is upon us.
In such circumstances, it may be time to revisit the traditional 5-7-5 Japanese verse form.
　Oops, I've strayed far from today's theme. My eyes are getting even redder (laughs).
The photo shows a statue of Basho's mode of transportation. It is installed at the entrance of the Kuroba Basho Museum. This refers to the use of horses as a means of transportation between post stations under the post station system, which was the primary mode of transportation until the Edo period. While public use was free, ordinary people, like in today's society, had to bear the cost known as “relative fare.” This was reportedly about twice as high as the “official fare.” Even today, while members of parliament can ride in the spacious front seats of airplanes for free, ordinary people have to pay high prices for the cramped seats in the back—a remnant of that system, I think.
　Basho also had the local influential figures he visited cover the costs of horse transportation, and he recorded his gratitude for this. The world is driven by money...

●Notice
My book “Writers and Living Spaces” has been published as an e-book by Gentosha.
Available for purchase on Amazon.